Lawyers, I Suppose, Were Children Once
by Winter Winks 221
Summary: The youth of Atticus Finch, and his siblings, Jack and Alexandra- plus a certain to be housekeeper.
1. Chapter 1

"Almost there, Jack- no, it was the other way."

"Come on Atticus!" 11 year old Jack Finch protests in annoyance, peeking out of the rushes on the other side of the river, and glaring good naturedly at his older brother, to which his companion merely smiles genuinely in response. "How am I meant to find Mother's best Sunday hat if you keep sending me in the wrong direction?"

"I'm not." 21 Atticus replies. "I just can't see very well. But I see it now, and it is over there, so could you please retrieve it and come back across?"

"Alright, I will, big brother." Jack replies.

Atticus sighs. "And do be careful Jack!" He adds. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Why, cos you'll get into trouble with mother dear?" Jack calls back teasingly, causing Atticus to laugh. She is a wonderful mother in some ways, but she has a short fuse, unlike her husband.

Jack goes back to rooting in the undergrowth for their mother's prized hat whilst Atticus sits astride the branch, observing the landscape beneath him.

Finch's Landing- the nesting place of many Finches until they were able to fulfil their future elsewhere- well, for the women, and that had very limited options anyway.

But Atticus has dreamed of becoming a lawyer someday. When he told Jack about this, he said he would make a good lawyer- Atticus was a sharp and remarkably perceptive young boy, not to mention having a dry sense of humour and Jack believed he would make a name for himself by defending the innocent from the harm caused by society's brutality and prejudice. But Jack said _he_ wanted to become a doctor, and help people who were sick and injured, as he hated seeing others suffering, and vowed to save people from disease.

"I'm sure you'll do very well, Jack." His older brother said. "Here, once I become a lawyer, I'll help you become a doctor." He offered kindly.

"Thank you, Atticus." They shook hands and so it became a bond that the older brother would keep to the younger many years later.

He smiles at the memory, and adjusts his glasses as they slide down his nose.

But, unbeknownst to Atticus, the branch beneath him begins to bend and crack, and by the time he catches on, he falls from the tree and he hits the ground hard.

Wincing in pain, and trying not to cry, he starts running, but his right leg refuses to cooperate, and with his glasses askew, he doesn't notice that there is a black girl a bit older than him making her way along the river with an important errand.

He runs straight into her, knocking her to the ground by accident.

...


	2. Chapter 2

Atticus scrambles up onto his feet in an instant, despite the pain in his arm and leg, and he offers a hand to the girl he had ran into.

"Are you alright?" He asks politely.

Startled, she attempts to bolt, but she observes that his arm has bent at an odd angle and he is cradling it close to his chest, trying hard to breathe normally. "What happened?" she asks him, feeling surprisingly concerned for her master's son.

"Well, I broke my arm falling out that tree yonder." He replies, pointing to a tall tree by the river, where a crack was clearly evident. A large, gnarly branch lay tangled on the roots below.

"What were you doin' up in that tree?" She asks him in astonishment, putting a hand on her hips and raising a quizzical eyebrow. The image reminds Atticus of a stern parent questioning a child's foolish actions.

"I was keeping an eye on my brother Jack," Atticus replies calmly. "He went to retrieve our mother's favourite hat after it blew away, but the branch broke beneath me." He grins sheepishly for a moment, before resuming a formal polite expression. "What's your name?" He asks her courteously.

"My name's Calpurnia." She reveals.

"I'm Atticus." He replies. "Atticus Finch."

Her eyes widen at the mention of her employer's son's name.

"Is something the matter?" He asks. "I was not aware my name would offend you as such."

"Sorry, Mr Finch, I just -never mind. I should get someone to help you- or I'll help you up to the house." She amends, giving him a look.

"Thank you, Calpurnia- you're very kind." he answers.

The girl says nothing, but she felt pleased that someone besides - Mr Finch Sr. - is treating her with respect. He was a deeply religious employer, and saw the black people equal to the white people, though Mrs Finch and her only daughter Alexandra both shared the views that black people should be kept away from them.

So Calpurnia helps her new friend up to the house. He has broken his glasses, his arm and done something to his leg, as it hurt when he tried to move, but otherwise he appears unharmed. After a long and tiresome effort, the two make it to the house, where Atticus' parents are sitting on the porch, Mr Finch smoking a pipe and Mrs Finch embroidering a handkerchief.

"Atticus!" Sylvia Louise Finch gasps, hurrying to see to her son, who looks as though he had just come from the American Civil war. "What happened, darling?" She asks him, hugging him tightly and checking the extent of his injuries.

"I fell out of a tree," He replies simply "and Calpurnia helped me up here."

"Oh dear, Jeremy- he must hit his head too hard! I'll see to him." She tells her husband, picking up Atticus and carrying him into the house, refusing to believe a black girl willingly helped her eldest son back to the Landing in kindness alone.

Jeremy Simon Finch looks at Calpurnia, who shifts under his gaze. He was fond of this young child, as she is courteous and no nonsense, and always willing to do anything. He had taught her to read 'Blackstone's Commentaries' and he found her a quick learner. Miss Buford, an old acquaintance, had Cal round sometimes too, and she taught her letters with no complaint. So he finds her a good child, and intelligent as well- though not quite at the same level as Atticus, but she has perception.

"You did well," he says simply. "Thank you for helping Atticus."

"You're welcome sir- but I hafta go back on yon'er." She replies- she has to help his younger son back across the river now.


	3. Chapter 3

Calpurnia arrives at the river, her brown eyes anxiously scanning the riverbanks. The sun is beginning to set, and she cannot see Jack Finch anywhere. "Master Jack! Come on- your folks will be worried about ya! C'mon o'er that river, d' ye hear!" She hollers, praying she hasn't arrived too late.

"Someone help me!" A voice screams, and a terrified white face emerges from the reeds by the river and stares at Calpurnia. He looks smaller than Atticus and he was lacking glasses. Calpurnia reckons that it must be her new friend's brother- even though she doesn't the Finch children that much.

"Hold on!" She yells, and begins to climb down the river banks.

Jack whimpers as he clings to the rocks in the river. He has lost his mother's hat, and Atticus isn't here! He wants his big brother so bad he feels as though he would lose all hope until Atticus returns.

But he remembers that he saw the girl with Atticus earlier, and she helped him back up towards the house. But he doesn't know what has become of his beloved sibling, so he isn't sure what her intentions are. Nevertheless, when she offers him her hand, he reaches out and grabs it. Frightened white digits interlink with strong black fingers.

He makes a note to himself that this girl is actually very strong, and not to mess with her if he can help it.

But right now, his life depends on her, and her strength.

...

Atticus is discussing something with his sister Alexandra when they hear that Jack and Calpurnia are missing, and at once he is concerned for his brother and his new friend.

"I left Jack by the river! Sister, I must go out and help Jack!" He says, jumping to his feet and running for the door.

"But Atticus, you can't! It's dangerous!" Alexandra pleads, grabbing her brother's good arm, and attempting to hold him back unsuccessfully.

"It will be even more dangerous for Jack if he tries to cross the river this late. Alexandra, I must help our brother." He replies determinedly, yanking himself free.

"But your arm"-

-"Is no concern compared to Jack and Calpurnia's lives." And he unbolts the window and climbs out.

...

Calpurnia feels it coming long before it takes over- exhaustion. She's sagging, and is unable to hold on to Jack and the reeds anymore- and yet, her fingers tighten round the reeds and the pale, bluey hand for fear of losing Jack.

Suddenly, Calpurnia feels a hand grab her wrist, and she looks up to see Atticus' face smiling at her.

"Atticus!" The pair gasps in heartfelt relief. They have someone to help them out of this disastrous situation now.

"Hold on you two- I'll pull you out from there." Atticus tells them, getting down on his knees behind Calpurnia and carefully grabbing one of her arms with his hand, wrapping his legs round her waist- to which Calpurnia remains unfazed.

"But Atticus, your arm-" Calpurnia attempts to remind him instead, only to be cut off.

"My arm's discomfort will be worth far more than losing either of you to the river." Atticus informs them bravely. "Now grab my hand!" Offering the hand from his good arm, he watches as his friend lets go of the reeds. Then with an incredible bout of strength despite his broken arm, Atticus pulls Calpurnia and Jack from the river.

Both of them are alive and well, thank goodness-though they are soaking wet from their escapade.

...

Their mother is furious that Atticus had snuck off, as Alexandra had told her about what had happened, and when Jeremy Finch went looking for his sons, he finds them and Calpurnia all limping home bedraggled.

When they arrive, an explanation is dragged out of them. Jack explains that he found his mother's hat, and had attempted to cross the river on his own, but he couldn't see Atticus anywhere. He adds that he saw his brother with Calpurnia walking away. He later slipped and fell in the river, where he banged his shoulder on some rocks. Then he grabbed some rocks and remained there until Calpurnia arrived.

"And why didn't you pull him out, you coal wench!" Sylvia snapped.

Atticus sees red in one moment. It has been one moment he often regrets and when he witnesses his daughter, Scout, do a similar action to his sister many years later, he quickly neutralises it. It had been odd to think back on this and that both scenarios involved Calpurnia.

"Well, if she had tried to, both of them would have been swept away!" He retorted, before catching himself. "She was only helping him, and she saved his life. Why, if she hadn't done what she had done, Jack would have been gone when I arrived, and she helped me after I fell out of the tree as well, and yet you refuse to acknowledge her for that fact. I know if it had been someone like Alexandra rather than Calpurnia, you would have given her acknowledgment."

Jeremy has to agree with his son on that matter, yet he knows he can't say anything for fear of angering her. And indeed, she storms out with him following -but not before ordering Atticus to look after Jack. Jack turns to look at his hero whilst his oldest sibling heads to the kitchen to make hot cocoa for them.

"Thank you, Miss, for saving my life." Jack says earnestly whilst Atticus returned with some hot cocoa he had made from the kitchen. He also thanks Atticus for pulling them out, but the latter just waves a dismissive hand.

"It was all I could have done." Calpurnia confesses, shivering despite the blanket that Atticus drapes round her shoulders.

"And that granted my brother's life." Atticus said warmly. "He means so much to me, Calpurnia, and I would never have forgiven myself if he had drowned tonight. Even if my mother and sister do not hold black people in a favourable light, I am forever in your debt."

She grins softly.

"To Calpurnia," Jack says suddenly. "...the girl with the very strong hands that saved my life!"

She glares good naturedly at him, making him laugh.

"Enough, Jack." The older boy reprimands. "To Calpurnia, the hero of Finch's Landing, over one side of the river."

"To Calpurnia," Jack adds, and the three drank their hot cocoa to the young girl, before discussing much of the event late into the night.


End file.
